Sinker-actuating-mechanism- for knitting-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

v J. BENNOR. SINKER AGTUATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MAUHINES N0. 557

Patented Apr. '7; 1896.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I J. BENNOR.

SINKER AGTUATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No.557,640. 0 PatentedApr. 7,1896. 2 W a C(Ziifisses; I ad/211% v mug? P; j

W I/2w ilrrrren Sterne JOSEPH BENNOR, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

SSNKEFi-ACTUATENG MECHANISM FOR KNiTTlNG-MACHHNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,640, dated April 7, 1896.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPn BENNOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibi) and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sinker-Actuating Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to the sinker mechanism of that type of knitting --machines wherein two opposite rows of needles are actuated by appropriate cams to effect the knitting of tubular work, the improvement being peculiarly applicable to the sinker mechanism set out in Letters Patent of the United States No. 485,317, granted to me November 1, 1892, to which reference may be had. In the patented construction the oppositely-disposed vibratory sinkers are actuated during each stroke of the knitting-earns by a pair of grooved end-beveled heads, each head having a siding connection with an adjustable arm extending from the can-carriaga-thereby necessitating the arrangement of the sinker-s of one bed laterally of the respective needles of the opposite bed, in consequence of which only coarse goods could be produced.

The object or the improvement is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby the sinker-actuating head of each carriage may be moved into and out of action simultaneously with the knitting-cams on that carriage, to the end that the sinkers of one bed may be disposed opposite the needles of the other bed, and in that way permit-the coustructicn of a fine-gage machine. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through the neediebeds and carmcarriages of a straight-knitting machine embodying my improvement. Figs. 2 and 3 are nnder side views of one of the cam-carriages detached, showing the cams in. the ac tive and inactive positions, respectively. Figs. and 5 are end and front views, respectively, of- Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a separate view or" the slide-bar and frame for controlling the sinker-actuating cam. Fig. 7' is a section, as on the line a: :c of Fig. 6.

The oppositely-inclined needle-beds 1 and chine are actuated. Hence during the knitting of tubular work, as the needles in the respective beds are operated alternately in each reciprocation (two strokes) of the camthose sinkers on, the working side of the macarriages, the two sets of sinkers are a1ternately active and idle in company with the needles adjacent thereto. In view of this construction the needles of one bed may be arranged to work inpaths alternating with those'of the other bed, and thus enable the locating of the siukers of one bed opposite the needles of the other bed. Thus a machine of much finer gage than that of thepatented construction may be produced. N This part of my invention comprises the means whereby the sinker-actuating camsare supported and controlled. As shown in my patent above referred to, these cams each comprise a grooved end-beveled head D fitted to a rib d on theunder side of a transverse bar d on the arm (1, said head having ample play or lost motion in its traverse to insure its proper position relative to the knitting-cams. In this instance the bar (1 has sufficient move ment in its guideway 7 in the upper section of the cam-carriage to permit the head to be retracted below the cam-engaging portions of the sinkers. A transverse slot 8 is formed in this section of the carriage to receive a block 9 on the upper face of the bar 02 the head of the pin 10,.which connects the block with the bar, projecting beyond the upper face o f said section; The pin-head is fitted to a diagonal groove 13 in the face of a longitudinally-disposed slide-oar 14, the latter in vturn being fitted to a frame 15 that is secured to the top of the carriage-section. Hence if the bar 14 be reciprceated the walls of the groove therein, acting upon the pin, will raise V and lower the arm and its connected camhead, the opposed sides of the frame serving as determinate stops to limit the movements of the parts. In order that the frame and its connections may be bodily adjusted without changing their relative positions to each other, so as to set the cam-head in proper position in respect to the sinkers, I elongate the holes 16 in the frame through which pass the securing-screws 17, The bars on the respective carriages are actuated at theend of each stroke by means of suitably-disposed stops.

When both sets of knitting-cams are thrown into action at the outstart of the knitting operation, in order to operate both sets of needles simultaneously, the two sinker-actuating cams are retracted; otherwise the simultaneously-moving needles and sinker-s of. the opposite beds would interfere with each other.

As 'a means to maintain the slide-bar in either position to which it may he set by its impact with the end stops, I provide a suitable frictional device, which, in this instance, comprises a pin 18, fitted to an orifice in the frame 15 directly above said bar, and a fiat spring 15, securedto the frame in a manner to bear upon the pin.

Heretofore during the narrowing and Widening operations by the needles on the bed 1 the yarn been carried in each stroke under the hooks all the sinkers on that bed. In consequence the yarn conducted beyond the needles action is kinked or wrinlcled by the ssure of the sinker-hooks, and should there he a knot or irregularity in the yarn thus carried it is apt to catch in the hooks and break the yarn. To obviate this defect, I provide the acting edge of the sinkeractuating head with a recess 20, into which enters the butt of each sinker immediately after it has been drawn back, the sinker-hook thus dropping below the path of the yarn when the yarn'is not engaged by the needle. Hence the yarn escapes the sinker at the end of each course of stitches during the fashioning operation, and thus passes freely over the remaining sinkers in its path.

I claim- 1. In a knitting-machine, the combination with theneedle-beds, the needles, the knitting-cams and the sinkers, of sinker-actuating cams, supports therefondevices for reciproeating said supports, and means whereby the said supports, the sinker-actuating cams and the reciprocative devices may be bodily adjusted without changing their positions relative to each other, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the needle-bed, its needles, the knitting-cams and the sinkers, of a sinker-actuating cam, a sliding support therefor, a slide-bar, provisions whereby it is connected with said support, aframe to which said bar is fitted, and means whereby said frame is adjustahly connected with the cam-carriage, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the need1ebed,its..

needles, the knitting-cams and the sinkers, of a sinkeractuating earn, a sliding support therefor, a slide-bar provided with a diagonal groove therein, a pin extending from said support into the groove, a frame to which said .bar is fitted, the inner Walls of the frame serving as determinate stops for the pin, and means whereby said frame is adj ustably connected with the cam-carriage, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the needle-bed, its needles, the knitting-cams and the sinkers, of a sinker-actuating cam provided with a depression or recess, 20, therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two sub- .scriloing witnesses.

JOSEPH B'ENNOR. W'itnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN,

IRA S. HELLER. 

